Alex Galchenyuk has not been as involved as he was earlier in the season. This has impacted his ratings, ratios, and offensive-output. The 19 year-old was engaging in more than 2 offensive-zone events per-minute earlier in the year. That number has dropped significantly in recent games. Did I mention his age?
Data-generated scouting allows us to track a player's performance game-by-game. Here we can go beyond the subjective, and focus on tangible, data-generated information.
Galchenyuk's risk/reward rating this season is 1.09. It was 1.28 in his rookie season, and currently sits below the average among wingers of 1.21. He has produced an even-strength ratio of 1.81 successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play this year; compared to 1.90 last season.
In 6 of the Montreal Canadiens last 7 games, Alex Galcheynuk has not been as effective as he was earlier in the season. This is related by his risk/reward rating, as well as his ratio. His risk/reward rating has been above-average in only 1 of the last 7 games, and continues to trend downward.
Obviously the lower numbers are of Galchenyuk's own doing. That said, two things have occurred in recent weeks that could help to explain part of the reason for the lower numbers. He lost Brendan Gallagher as a linemate just prior to the game against the Minnesota Wild, and he received a head-shot against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Galchenyuk has produced 0.166 EVEN-STRENGTH scoring chances per-minute this season, compared to 0.133 last season. The average among Habs wingers this season is 0.158 scoring chances per-minute. Number 27 has produced scoring-chance numbers below his own average in each of the last 6 games.
In terms of EVEN-STRENGTH points per-minute played, Galchenyuk produced his first even-strength point in five games during the recent win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres game also saw number 27 produce a personal 5-game-high in scoring-chances PMP.
Galchenyuk is producing fewer successful plays with possession, as well as fewer successful defensive-plays. He has averaged 1.15 successful puck-possession plays per-minute this season, and 0.431 successful defensive-plays per-minute.
His defensive-game is trending downward more than his offensive-game, as he's only produced more successful defensive-touches per-minute than his personal average in 1 of his last 9 games.
Galchenyuk has averaged 1.995 offensive-zone events per-minute played this season, compared to 2.025 o-zone events last season. His engagement in the offensive-zone has diminished over the course of the season, and has seen him engage in more o-zone events than his average only once in the last 7 games.
Galchenyuk has averaged 0.523 successful plays with possession per-minute this season. He averaged 0.581 per-minute last year. He has produced more successful possession plays in the o-zone than his average only once in the last 5 games.
Galchenyuk remains the Habs best even-strength playmaker; averaging more ES assists per-minute played than any other player. That said, he's attempting fewer passes to the slot in recent games, and has not recorded an even-strength assist in 8 games.
Galchenyuk has been able to get 45.1% of his attempted shots through to the net this season. Twenty-eight percent have been blocked, while another 26.8% have missed the net. Last year, he was able to get an impressive 57.3% of his shots through to the net. His true shooting percentage was 8.1% last year, and has fallen to 7% this season.
The Buffalo game saw Galchenyuk get his first even-strength shot through to the net in 5 games. He scored.
Galchenyuk has produced an average of 0.225 successful offensive-zone forecheking plays per-minute this season. He averaged 0.202 per-minute last year. The average among wingers is 0.225.
Galchenyuk as engaged in an average of 1.157 defensive-zone events per-minute. He engaged in 1.186 d-zone events PMP last year. The average among Habs wingers is 1.174.
The neutral-zone is the only zone where we see an increase in the number of neutral-zone events per-minute played engaged-in by Galchenyuk. Of note, is the low event total in the beginning of the season; when Galchenyuk was putting up substantial offensive-numbers.
Galchenyuk`s play will improve as he engages in more events. He hasn`t been moving his feet with as much purpose recently, making it difficult to close the gap defensively, while recovering loose-pucks offensively. Did I mention he`s only 19.
